Feb 7, 2012

Team Upset After Coach Removed Over Raucous Celebration

CHILDERSBURG, Ala.–It’s a move that has parents outraged and a girls basketball team in tears.

Monday morning, the Childersburg girls basketball team was told their head coach and mentor, Lin Slater would no longer be a part of the team.

Deja Morris, along with her fellow teammates sat in anticipation as their coach walked into a closed door meeting with Talladega school board members. In less than 20 minutes, Morris says Slater walked out of the room, and said it was dismissed.

“We thought she was saying they dismissed, like case closed, like the case is over but she said, no, they fired me and all of us went into tears, said Morris.

Monday’s decision by Talladega school board members is the result of allegations stemming from an away game at Cleburne County High January 27th.

After taking home a win Morris said, “We get excited, we start beating on chairs, we were beating on chairs. I unfolded mine, we were beating on it. We were hollering and screaming.

A call was made to Cleburne County’s Principal, Ricky Murphy Friday to ask about the alleged damage reported by the assistant principal. He says chairs and padlocks were thrown around the locker room along with small damage to the locker room door.

These allegations have now cost the team its coach.

“She took time and she practiced with them. She actually took care of home matters with them as far as mothers and fathers and daughters, said Tara Reynolds, parent of a basketball player.

Since Slater’s removal, Reynolds says her daughter hasn’t been the same.

“I have never seen my child cry and break down as much as these last four days in my entire life, said Reynolds. Parents like Reynolds say they’ll continue to fight for Slater even though they’ve lost faith in the school system.

A spokesperson for Talladega County schools says Slater has not been fired. She has been reassigned as a teacher at the school.

CHILDERSBURG, Ala.– It’s a move that has parents outraged and a girls basketball team in tears.

Monday morning, the Childersburg girls basketball team was told their head coach and mentor, Lin Slater would no longer be a part of the team.

Deja Morris, along with her fellow teammates sat in anticipation as their coach walked into a closed door meeting with Talladega school board members. In less than 20 minutes, Morris says Slater walked out of the room, and said it was dismissed.

“We thought she was saying they dismissed, like case closed, like the case is over but she said, no, they fired me and all of us went into tears, said Morris.

Monday’s decision by Talladega school board members is the result of allegations stemming from an away game at Cleburne County High January 27th.

After taking home a win Morris said, We get excited, we start beating on chairs, we were beating on chairs. I unfolded mine, we were beating on it. We were hollering and screaming.”

A call was made to Cleburne County’s Principal, Ricky Murphy Friday to ask about the alleged damage reported by the assistant principal. He says chairs and padlocks were thrown around the locker room along with small damage to the locker room door.

These allegations have now cost the team its coach.

“She took time and she practiced with them. She actually took care of home matters with them as far as mothers and fathers and daughters, said Tara Reynolds, parent of a basketball player.

Since Slater’s removal, Reynolds says her daughter hasn’t been the same.

I have never seen my child cry and break down as much as these last four days in my entire life, ” said Reynolds. Parents like Reynolds say they’ll continue to fight for Slater even though they’ve lost faith in the school system.

A spokesperson for Talladega County schools says Slater has not been fired. She has been reassigned as a teacher at the school.